MANILA, 27 March 2007 — Fans, players and prominent PBA personalities cried during a short tribute to the late commissioner Jun Bernardino.
After that, the show went on, with Barangay Ginebra extending its winning streak to four games to claim a piece of second place in the Fiesta Cup eliminations at the Araneta Coliseum.
Rod Nealy scored 43 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, issued four assists, had three steals and a block in leading the Gin Kings to a rollercoaster 102-84 decision of sister team San Miguel that left the Beermen winless still.
Rudy Hatfield, who cried while film clips on the late PBA official was shown on the giant screen, was the second Ginebra player with a double-double output after shooting 22 points and grabbing 11 rebounds that helped the Kings to a 4-1 card.
Alaska actually got to 4-1 first, getting 13 points from Willie Miller in the fourth quarter and a little of everything from import Rosell Ellis in a 106-100 clipping of Coca-Cola in the first game.
Ellis scored 18 points in 43 minutes, had 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals as the Aces flaunted control most of the way to hand the Tigers a second straight loss in a 3-3 card.
Ginebra started out hot but slackened a bit in the second period, losing leads of as many as 21 points and yielding the halftime lead, 48-49, after what coach Jong Uichico later said was a “stagnant” game by his wards.
“We got stagnant in some parts of the game,” Uichico said.
“It’s good that we were able to regroup in this game and win it. But it is a bad habit that we have to check and correct because we might not be as lucky the next time.”
Nealy scored 13 in the first period and was one of the guns that went silent in the second, where Ginebra was held to just 14 points and San Miguel scored a ton to wipe out a 34-15 deficit. His total last night was just one point shy of the tournament mark of 44 held by Red Bull import James Penny.
Paul McMillan, who has continued redeeming himself after a so-so debut, scored 14 of his 41 in that second quarter explosion by San Miguel, which dropped to 0-5 after failing to sustain its first half effort.
Only Chris Calaguio finished with twin digits for the Beermen, who dropped their second straight game under Siot Tanquingcen but have continued to show promise by playing with a lot more intensity compared to their first three losses.
The game was see-saw to say the least, as the Kings came out of the halftime huddle again with guns cocked and firing, with Nealy and Hatfield scoring all but five of their 33 third quarter points that turned that one-point deficit into an 81-63 lead.
It was all Ginebra from there as Johnny Abarrientos again quarterbacked with great effect.
He finished with 10 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Ronald Tubid contributed 14 in starting at the No. 2 guard spot.
“The guys are stepping up and I guess that has been the key to why we’re winning,”” Uichico added. “It’s good that while we are working on improving (some aspects of our game) that we are winning games.”
Ginebra lost two key guards in Mark Caguioa and Jay-Jay Helterbrand to the national team.
Miller, meanwhile, finished with 19 points, finally shaking out of an effective Coca-Cola defense that met him up high to again be a major factor for the Aces.
“I’ve told everyone before that Willie will be our scoring import,” Tim Cone said. Cone wore black to pay his respects to the departed commissioner, whom he said “gave me the greatest honor of my life when he selected me to coach the National team in 1998.”
Bernardino died at dawn on Saturday after a third heart attack. He was the longest-serving commissioner of the PBA and was responsible to some of the league’s greatest seasons.
“He was a very special person to me. He appointed me as national team coach in 1998 and stuck behind me all the way,” Cone said in a somber tone. “That was the greatest honor I have ever had.
“I wanted to tell him that so many times before and I never did,” Cone added. “And that upsets me the most.”
Anthony Johnson led the Tigers with 32 points, 20 coming in the second half.
Third-string guard Leo Avenido came off the bench and helped Johnson in rallying the Tigers, who trailed 67-50 after a Thoss basket with 6:04 left in the third period.
Three straight Avenido triples in the middle of the fourth period made a game out of it, with the Tigers creeping within 88-93, before Ali Peek made it 90-94. Avenido shot all but two of his 18 points in the fourth.
